[Yug]

Speaking of Brexshitters dispensing their wisdom about the motor industry, we left the EU some years ago. Have BMW gone bust yet?

Nope. Turned a profit last year, in fact. People seem to like their EVs, especially the i4 if the number of them I see on the A1 on my commute is anything to go by.

Are you telling me, after all their assertions that the German car industry needs us more than we need them, they actually got it wrong?

I wonder what else they weren't quite accurate about?

[Youngian]

Not so long ago I parked my Fiat next to a Range Rover: it dwarfed it. Who really needs a car that big?

Yanks.
Apparently Jaguar is no longer in production.

There's also the matter of bosses playing off European governments to maximise their corporate welfare subsidies. I'd expect a competent administration to have prepared a cost benefit analysis so they know what the subsidy tipping point is and a minister can tell them where to go.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Graham is a great one for “lack of investment”. Say what you like about tech barons, they do investment. The upshot of which is lots of people with similar politics to Graham claiming that this investment will wipe out about half the workforce.

Lack of sales might be a better diagnosis.

[Boiler]

Not so long ago I parked my Fiat next to a Range Rover: it dwarfed it. Who really needs a car that big?

Yanks.

Plus drug dealers (stealth black option) and trophy wives (white).

The other thing killing Range Rover sales are the cheap Chinese SUV imports, e.g. Jaecoo. You can buy a car as big as a Range Rover (the Jaecoo 8) but for a third of the price. Just pray you don't need parts for it, if the Internet is to be believed. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/jaecoo/8

Apparently Jaguar is no longer in production.

If you go to Jaguar's website it shows all the cars I remember them making (except the XJ) but if you click on a model (e,g. XF) this is what you get:

Screenshot 2026-09-07 at 12-38-29 Jaguar XF Premium Saloon and Sportbrake Jaguar.png (192.98 KiB) Viewed 261 times

The "New Era" cars have pretty pictures but they've inevitably attracted idiots saying "they're woke/not a real Jaguar".

https://www.jaguar.com/en-gb/jdx/copy-n ... index.html

IIRC "Copy Nothing" comes from William Lyons.

In other news, the Nissan plant in Sunderland is to assemble CKD Omoda and Jaecoo vehicles from China.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is the Government allowed to do anything in this country? I see the practical, get on with it, folk in Reform haven't hesitated to sue over this.

Rayner cancels some local government reorganisation plans for England, and delays others, after Burnham requested rethink
Decisions on flagship local government reorganisation have been withdrawn as the government launches a review of the plans following new legal advice, the Press Association reports.

One of those withdrawn is Essex. So 1 county and 12 district councils it is. Great.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Downing Street had refused to deny an Observer story saying that Andy Burnham intends to ensure that the Sun newspaper does not get any special editorial favours from him as PM.

I approve this message. No exclusive announcements, anything like that.

But it is very hard for poiiticians to turn down the chance to write a column in a newspaper, even one that hates them. It's direct message v The Sun spinning what you've said. I expect the usual suspects will treat writing a column as a special favour, as if he could reach the public by writing in The Canary.

Not everyone who flicks through The Sun will be a complete irreconcilable. Copies kick around in works canteens, that sort of thing. Even at home- couples don't always share the same politics.

[Abernathy]

Burnham is only being absolutely consistent and true to his principles. What Kelvin McKenzie’s rag did is absolutely beyond the pale.

[Youngian]

Murdoch's rags aren't going to big up Burnham so he has nothing to lose shunning the Sun.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Burnham is only being absolutely consistent and true to his principles. What Kelvin McKenzie’s rag did is absolutely beyond the pale.

I agree with him. No favors. No policies announced first to them.

I'm just preparing for the inevitable bad faith stuff where he writes an article in the campaign, and that's represented as a massive betrayal. By lots of people who know very well that Ken Livingstone and Tony Benn wrote articles for The Sun, for the same reason Burnham probably will.

[The Weeping Angel]

Oh, for god's sake.



I'm sorry, but this is a bad-faith reading of what Jones said. Not to mention a lot of what about Palestine Action and XR btl.

[davidjay]

Burnham is only being absolutely consistent and true to his principles. What Kelvin McKenzie’s rag did is absolutely beyond the pale.

He's a Scouser. That makes all the difference.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If there are riots because people think you aren't doing anything, are you not supposed to tell people afterwards that you are? People might actually be paying attention then. Climate change/XR isn't really a great comparison, because the public aren't told constantly that you're doing nothing about it.

[The Weeping Angel]

If there are riots because people think you aren't doing anything, are you not supposed to tell people afterwards that you are? People might actually be paying attention then. Climate change/XR isn't really a great comparison, because the public aren't told constantly that you're doing nothing about it.

No, that just legitimises their argument. A big problem is a lot of people on Bluesky don't really see small boats as a problem.

[Oboogie]

If there are riots because people think you aren't doing anything, are you not supposed to tell people afterwards that you are? People might actually be paying attention then.

Doesn't really matter if you tell them or not if they don't believe you when you do.

[RedSparrows]

If there are riots because people think you aren't doing anything, are you not supposed to tell people afterwards that you are? People might actually be paying attention then. Climate change/XR isn't really a great comparison, because the public aren't told constantly that you're doing nothing about it.

No, that just legitimises their argument. A big problem is a lot of people on Bluesky don't really see small boats as a problem.

Because in the grand scheme they're not a significant material problem, they're a symbolic one, and the primary problem they embody is the exploitation of people by criminals, rather than 'forrins exist'.

It is not surprising people are angry and concerned about this paradigm. It is not healthy, not sustainable, not sensible to anything actually good for anyone, immigrant or native alike.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Doesn't really matter if you tell them or not if they don't believe you when you do.

Not sure it's not believing with lots of people. The media (not least the BBC) creates the impression of a growing surge, and lots of relatively moderate people don't get to hear that the opposite is happening. But in this context, Sarah Jones does at least get some visibility when she makes the point. Same as when a Labour politician writes for a right wing newspaper. People see it who wouldn't have done and they can agree or disagree. As I said on the other thread, not everyone who glances at The Sun in the staff canteen or at home is a nailed on Rupert Lowe supporter.

[Oboogie]

Doesn't really matter if you tell them or not if they don't believe you when you do.

Not sure it's not believing with lots of people. The media (not least the BBC) creates the impression of a growing surge, and lots of relatively moderate people don't get to hear that the opposite is happening.

On last night's Newsnight a Reform supporter, when told by Victoria Derbyshire there'd been a 40% drop in crossings, literally said he didn't believe that figure and implied the BBC had made it up. Therein lies the problem when the accurate media is outnumbered by the right-wing bullshitters - why should he believe the BBC when all the other sources he hears contradict them?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm aware there are people like that, and I don't think the government can do all that much about them. That's not who I'm talking about. I'm talking about people who have picked up the vibe (a growing invasion) but may take notice at a moment like this when something as grimly eye catching as Portsmouth and Dover are in the headlines. Most people, lest we forget, don't follow politics all that much. Labour are quite right to make the point now, whatever people say about legitimizing the would be private army.

[Oboogie]

I'm aware there are people like that, and I don't think the government can do all that much about them. That's not who I'm talking about. I'm talking about people who have picked up the vibe (a growing invasion) but may take notice at a moment like this when something as grimly eye catching as Portsmouth and Dover are in the headlines. Most people, lest we forget, don't follow politics all that much. Labour are quite right to make the point now, whatever people say about legitimizing the would be private army.

What makes you think they'll believe the government anymore than they believe the BBC - Victoria Derbyshire was quoting Home Office figures and said so, it made no difference.

[Boiler]

I sometimes wonder if Derbyshire's the only serious journo they've got left.